Bombardier marks work in India, Netherlands

Bombardier Transportation on Monday said it has won a contract for propulsion and control equipment in India from Mumbai Railway Vikas Corp. (MRVC) in India. MRVC is a joint venture between the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Maharashtra. On Thanksgiving Day, Bombardier announced its readiness to enable the first mixed European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Level 2 and conventional signaling operation, on the line between Amsterdam and Utrecht in The Netherlands.

The MRVC project, funded equally by the World Bank and the government of India, is valued at approximately $214 million. It involves design, manufacturing, delivery and testing of Bombardier’s MITRAC propulsion and control equipment, as well as additional equipment including fans, compressors, passenger information systems and high voltage instruments.

The order relates to a total of 72 commuter trains of 12 cars each. Deliveries of the equipment will start in the last quarter of 2012 with completion of deliveries in the third quarter of 2014. The production will take place at Bombardier’s plant in Maneja, India, supported by Bombardier’s sites in Mannheim and Hennigsdorf, Germany.

“With this latest order, we continue to consolidate our position to provide support to the railway systems in India,” said Benoît Cattin Martel, president and managing director, Bombardier Transportation, India. “It is a prestigious project and the largest for Bombardier’s Propulsion and Controls business in India. Moving forward, our large manufacturing and engineering presence in India combined with our local experience, international expertise, other projects like Delhi Metro and eco-friendly technologies mean we are ideally placed to bring India to the world stage in rail transportation.”

In The Netherlands, Bombardier will enable its INTERFLO 450 mixed signaling technology, over 30.5 kilometers (19 miles) of four-track mainline serving more than 500 international, intercity, local, and freight trains daily. Under ERTMS, these trains will be able to run at increased speeds of up to 160km/h (100 mph). The line will provide a freight route from Amsterdam’s harbor to the Betuwe Line, which links Rotterdam and Germany. It has been prepared for the future increase of ERTMS traffic, while allowing for both Level 2 and conventionally equipped trains to use the same line in the interim.

Said Peter Cedervall, president, Rail Control Solutions, Bombardier Transportation, “This upgrade demonstrates Bombardier’s technical leadership in implementing a mixed signalling ERTMS application. It is also an important improvement for this busy line, which will enhance travel and transport links in The Netherlands.”